In the cable cutting field, there exists a need for a cable cutter which includes a ratchet mechanism for controlling the movement of the working surfaces of the jaw members toward and away from each other. There further exists a need for a hand-held ratchet tool wherein the relative movement between the jaw members is inhibited to thereby control the time within which it takes to cut a cable and to limit the handle stroke to the area where the most cutting force is generated.
Hand-held cable cutting ratchet tools are known. One is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,445, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This tool solved may drawbacks suffered by earlier cable cutting hand-held ratchet tools which could only move their jaw members toward each other or towards a closed position. The jaws of earlier cable cutting hand-held ratchet tools are moved away from each other by hand or are spring released whereas the jaws of the tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,445 could be ratcheted open and closed. The tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,445 was easier and less expensive to manufacture than the earlier spring-released ratchet tools and safer to operate since the jaw members of earlier tools were not always totally controlled by the user.
The tool of U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,445 utilized a leaf spring actuator to engage and disengage a pawl. The leaf spring could not be made too strong because then it could force itself out of its neutral position and into an unplanned engagement of the pawl. If made too week, it might allow the pawl to release prematurely. As safe as the tool is, it would be beneficial if the safety of the tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,445 could be improved, particularly without diminishing any of its capabilities.